Lifting device



Nov. 27, 1934. w MlLLER I 1,982,225

LIFTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 11, 1953 INVENTOR WILLIAM MILLER ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNIT so STATES? PATENT oFFics 6 Claims.

This invention comprises a device for lifting slabs of materials such as plate glass,., window panes, and the like.

Heretofore, it has been customaryfor those I engaged in manually moving slabs of delicate materials of the type mentioned above, tograsp the slab at the nearest edge and/or at the bottom of the material. This method, however, has been found to have serious disadvantages 10 due to the inability of the mover to obtain a steady and firm grip on the side of the slab at all times.

It is an object of the present invention to enable the lifting of such slabs in a simple and convenient manner. A further object is to provide convenient grasping means in the form of a. handle for ready movement of the slab. A still further object is to provide a. lifting device which is safe and reliable in operation and which offers a firm hold on the materialto be moved.

Broadly, these objects are accomplished'inaccordance with the invention by the provision of a lifting device composed of two fixed leaves having an opening between them in which the slab of material to be moved rests. On the inside of each leaf is a pad made of rubber or other suitable gripping material, this pad being secured to a wooden movableplate in the center of the leaf, the wooden plate, in turn, being fixedly attached to an outer metallic plate. For aiding in lifting the material there is provided a U- shaped metallic handle whose opposite ends are bolted to the verticle edges of the two leaves,

the sides of the handle being arranged, when the 36 handle is grasped and lifted, to force the two metallic plates inwardly, thus causing pressure to bear on the slab through the rubber padding.

Actually, two such lifting devices are needed for use on opposite sides of the slab for lifting 40. the material without causing it to drag.

A feature of the invention lies in the movable gripping mechanism employed, individual to each leaf. which is responsive to the upward movement of the U shaped handle to cause pressure to be exerted on the slab. A round or triangular shaped graduated metallic piece on the outside of each metallic plate serves to make contact with the adjacent side of the handle for transmitting pressure to the plate.

The invention is described in more detail in the following specification, which is accompanied by a drawing, wherein Fig. 1 illustrates a view. partly perspective and partly in section, of the lifting device constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, and Fig. 2 illustrates a. cross-section of Fig. 1 along the line 2--2.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters refer tolike parts, there is shown, by way of example only, a slab of plate glass 1 disposed betweena pair'of wooden leaves 2, 3,.both leaves an 7 being fixedly attached at similarly located ends to an. intermediate wooden portion 4.

In the center of each leaf and movable inwardly in response to upward movement of a U shaped metallic. handle 5 is a metallic rectangular plate 6 in the center of which is. a metallic graduated triangular element '7 integral with the. plate 6 and. arranged to make contact witlrthe armsof the handle when the latter is moved upwardly. The lower portion of the 7p element 7 is thinner than its upper portion in order to enable more force to be exerted on the plate 6. asthe handle 5 is raised.

Thev metallic handle 5 is a U shaped affair whose ends are fastened in any suitable fashion, 7,;

such asby bolts 13 and nuts 14 to the edges of the.leaves.2, 3. If. desired, a rubber grip 15 may beprovided for the handle at the place where the hand of the mover grasps the device.

On. the inside of each leaf is a rubber pad 8 whose exposed surface is arranged to grip the slab. This pad is attached to a wooden plate 9, and the latter is firmly secured through screws or in any other suitable way to a wooden block 10,. the whole assemblage of metallic plate 6, S5 triangular. element '1, block 10, wooden plate 9 and the pad 8 being movable on pins 11 with respect to its associated leaf. Surrounding each pin 11 and located between the wooden leaf and the metallic plate is a spring 12 for cushioning the inward movement of the movable assemblage and for restoring the two assemblages, one on each wooden leaf, to normal position when the handle is lowered, as shown in Fig. 2.

In actual operation, two lifting devices such as herein described are brought to the slab and arranged on opposite sides thereof so that the object to be lifted rests in the openings provided between the leaves 2 and 3. The handles of the devices are then raised, thus causing the two movable assemblages located on the leaves of each device to move inwardly and grip the slab which is now ready for lifting.

The invention, it will be understood, although designed primarily to handle plate and window 10: glass can be used to advantage in carrying slabs made of other materials.

What is claimed is:

1. A lifting device for a slab of material comprising a pair of rectangular shaped, parallel,

movable plates spaced apart so as to enable the slab to rest therebetween, a rubber pad on the sides of said plates adapted to face the slab, a graduated metallic contact element in fixed relation to each of said plates and connected thereto, a metallic U-shaped handle whose arms are arranged to engage said contact elements and thus cause pressure to bear inwardly on said plates as said handle is-raised, and a pair of parallel wooden supports which are stationary with respect to one another for supporting saidpair of plates, said supports being aflixed to each other at one of their similarly located edges, the arms of said U shaped handle being secured to the opposite edges.

2. A lifting device for a slab of material comprising a pair of rectangular shaped, parallel, movable plates spaced apart so as to enable the slab to rest between them, a pair of oppositely disposedsupports which are immovable with respect to one another for supporting said plates, a rubber pad on the sides of said plates adapted to face the slab, a graduated metallic contact element in fixed relation to each of said plates and connected thereto, a metallic U shaped handle Whose arms are arranged to engage said contact elements, and thus cause pressure to bear inwardly on said plates as said handle is raised, each of said plates being movably mounted in said oppositely disposed supports which are firmly connected together at one of their ends only.

3. A lifting device comprising a pair of movable plates, gripping means attached to each of said plates and spaced apart from each other so as to enable the material to be lifted to rest therebetween, a handle for causing pressure to be exerted nwardly on said platesas said handle is raised, a pair of supporting sides for said plates, each side being individual to a plate and located between the plate and its associated gripping means, and resilient means in contact with said sides and located between said sides and said plates for restoring said plates to normal when said handle is lowered.

4'. A lifting device for a slab of material comprising two parallel and oppositely disposed rectangular shaped wooden supports spaced apart from each other a distance sufficient to enable a portion of the slab which is to be lifted to be placed between them, said supports each having bores therein and being connected to each other at one of their similarly located edges, a U shaped metallic handle having its two arms bolted to the opposite open edges of said supports, a movable assemblage located substantially in the center of each of said wooden supports and movable inwardly in response to pressure for gripping the slab, each of said movable assemblages comprising an inner wooden plate on one side of its associated support and an outer metallic plate on the other side of its associated support joined fixedly together by a wooden block, said inner plates being substantially in the planes of the inner surfaces of their associated wooden supports, movable pins in the bores'of said supports, the entire assemblages being mounted on said pins, springs in contact with said supports and movable assemblages and adapted to oppose motion of said assemblages toward the slab to be lifted for restoring said assemblages to normal position, a graduated metallic element secured externally-to each of said metallic plates, the arms of said U shaped handle being arranged as it is raised to engage said graduated elements for causing pressure to bear inwardly on said assemblages.

5. In combination in a lifting device, a pair of parallel movable plates spaced apart for gripping the object to' be lifted, a U-shaped handle, means for moving said plates toward each other comprising wedge-shaped members secured to said plates and adapted to be contacted by the sides of the handle, and a support for said plates including means for guiding said plates in their movements to and from the object to be lifted, said guiding means comprising pins adapted to restin slots in said support.

.6. In combination in a lifting device, a pair of parallel movable plates spaced apart for gripping the object to be lifted, a U-shaped handle, means for moving said plates toward each other comprising members secured to said plates and adapted to be contacted by the sides of the handle, and a support for said plates including pins for guiding said plates in their movements to and from the object to be lifted, and helical springs 4 surrounding said pins and adapted to oppose motion of said plates toward the object to be lifted for restoring the position of said plates when said members no longer contact the sides of said handle.

' WILLIAM MILLER. 

